confuse

verb

con·​fuse kən-ˈfyüz 

confused; confusing

transitive verb

1

: to disturb in mind or purpose : throw off

The directions she gave confused us.

2

a

: to make indistinct : blur

Stop confusing the issue.

b

: to fail to differentiate from an often similar or related other

confuse money with comfort

Do not confuse the words "flaunt" and "flout."

c

: to mix indiscriminately : jumble

Their arms, legs, and bodies were confused together, till they resembled … two serpents interlaced.

—Thomas Medwin

3

: to make embarrassed : abash

4

archaic : to bring to ruin

confusingly

kən-ˈfyü-ziŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• addle
• baffle
• bamboozle
• beat
• befog
• befuddle
• bemuse
• bewilder
• buffalo
• confound
• discombobulate
• disorient
• flummox
• fox
• fuddle
• get
• gravel
• maze
• muddle
• muddy
• mystify
• perplex
• pose
• puzzle
• vex

Examples of confuse in a Sentence

The general was trying to confuse the enemy.

The new evidence only confused matters further.

You must be confusing me with someone else.

Recent Examples on the Web

Map their journey to spot every gap, make buying effortless with fewer steps, communicate clearly so no one gets confused, add personal touches that create connection, and follow up fast to turn buyers into advocates. —Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025

Letters: Washington, D.C., has a deficit of humanity Do not confuse my warning to Israel for a shred of understanding for what Hamas did on Oct. 7, 2023. —Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 14 June 2025

They are rightly confused by the sight of a bunch of people lying on the ground wearing athletic shorts. —Zach Schiffman, Curbed, 13 June 2025

Petrova described being confused and isolated after her arrest, saying she was held in a cell without contact with her lawyer or colleagues. —Jean Lee, NBC news, 12 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English confusen, back-formation from confused "frustrated, ruined," participle based on Anglo-French confus, borrowed from Latin confūsus, past participle of confundere "to pour together, blend, bring into disorder, destroy, disconcert" — more at confound

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Rhymes for confuse

• accrues
• accuse
• aircrews
• amuse
• bamboos
• breakthroughs
• canoes
• cashews
• chartreuse
• construes
• defuse
• ensues

Kids Definition

confuse

verb

con·​fuse kən-ˈfyüz 

confused; confusing

1

a

: to make mentally foggy or uncertain : perplex

the complicated problem confused us

b

: to cause to be embarrassed or upset

2

: to make unclear : blur

stop confusing the issue

3

: to make disordered : jumble

the cords were all confused together

4

: to fail to tell apart

teachers always confused the twins

confusedly

-ˈfyüz(-ə)d-lē

adverb

confusingly

-ˈfyü-ziŋ-lē 

adverb